Where The Mind Goes

I was standing in the kitchen waiting on my tea to steep. I had 9 minutes before I needed to leave to make plenty of time to drive on the icy roads. I felt God whisper, "Get your Bible. I have something to show you." I grabbed it, opened to my next reading in I Timothy 6 and began reading. Of course the book is full of meat and it all connects to other things. There are warnings of what not to do, what we can easily become as believers if we aren't paying attention to what's inside our hearts. 

If anyone teaches other doctrine and does not agree with the sound teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the teaching that promotes godliness, he is conceited, understanding nothing, but has a sick interest in disputes and arguments over words. From these come envy, quarreling, slander, evil suspicions, and constant disagreement among people whose minds are depraved and deprived of the truth, who imagine that godliness is a way to material gain But godliness with contentment is a great gain.(Vs 3-6)

And then verse 9 goes on to say: But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction.

I began drawing arrows and making notes in clusters as I brainstormed the meaning of these words. In the end, I got this: Stay in tune to what you are craving. What do you hunger for most of all? Is it honoring to God? Is it self-serving? Is it pure and does it lead to more closeness to the Lord?

As I began to verbalize these things, I realized that all this time I have been beating myself up because I don't have as much time in the Word in the mornings as I used to. But in my hunger to stay close and my focus having me in knots, God recently led me to turning on worship music in the morning, even though I am half asleep. It has had a deep impact because it tunes my mind in on Him and changes my focus from all the things I have to do to my refuge and place of peace and rest. It reinforces that what we focus on makes us who we are. Eventually what we focus on will either build us up or destroy us.

Isn't it just like God to consistently bring messages of freedom to us? He takes all the condemnation and pressure and sets us free with truth and grace. When we give our focus to Him, He takes us off the road to destruction and stands us firmly bacl onto His path. I am amazed at His involvement and attention to detail in my life as He is making me freer day-by-day. I am amazed that He is so incredibly gentle with me, offering me daily invitations to get back up, keep trying, walk with Him and find refuge in who He is instead of life's uncertainties.

He will never change. He isn't going anywhere. He is the most certain person and aspect of life. And knowing that, being refocused on it just made me freer. I hope this message blesses you as it did me.God bless!